‘I will score a goal for you’: New Socceroo and ex-Adelaide United player Awer Mabil delivers ultimate tribute to mum on debut
AWER Mabil told his mum last week he would score in his Socceroos debut and dedicate the goal to his favourite woman. And by delivering on his promise, he capped his remarkable rise from Kenyan refugee camp and Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
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AWER Mabil’s mother Agot Dau Atem said her son told her last week he would score for the Socceroos and dedicate his first international goal to his favourite woman.
Mabil, 23, created history for the refugees of Kakuma, Kenya — the third largest camp on the planet — in Kuwait on Tuesday morning.
He not only became the first known player to emerge from the camp of 180,000-plus displaced people where his parents fled from war-torn South Sudan to become an international, but within minutes of making it on the pitch for his debut, became the first to score a goal.
Mabil’s moment arrived when the former Adelaide United forward replaced another ex Red, Mat Leckie in the 73rd minute of the clash in Kuwait.
A little more than 15 minutes later Mabil scored in a 4-0 win for the Socceroos over Kuwait.
“I’m so happy,’’ Agot Dau Atem said.
“He called me last week and said, ‘Mum I’m in the Socceroos team, I will score a goal for you’.”
Awer Mabil’s sister Bor Mabil, 18, and her brother Mabil Mabil, 27, all watched the clash live on FoxSports from the comfort of their Andrews Farm home before Awer’s siblings left for work.
“I can’t believe it,’’ Bor Mabil said.
“We’re so happy for him and for the family.”
Awer’s rise from the dust bowl of the Kakuma refugee camp to Socceroo hasn’t surprised his junior coach, Adelaide-born Socceroos legend Tony Vidmar who has a similar story as the son of European immigrants, the late Frank and Maria Vidmar, who landed in Adelaide in the 1950s armed with just a suitcase and a dream.
“Awer was spotted by Airton Andrioli (Football Federation SA technical director),’’ said Vidmar, a former coach of the South Australian Sports Institute and currently assistant coach of A-League giant Melbourne City.
“Airton brought him to my attention and when I saw him I loved what he wanted, he was hungry to learn in 2011.
“He was in the SASI program for about three years.
“The other thing that stood out is he loved the game, he always had a smile on his face, he was very raw and growing into his body at that stage and he was uncoordinated.
“He wanted to get better with his game and came to training with a purpose.
“He caught a couple of buses from Andrews Farm to Kidman Park training (42km), that for me was impressive, he turned up as a 13-year-old on his own.
“For me that type of dedication goes a long way.”
Vidmar said it was no coincidence Mabil made his international debut alongside another refugee with South Sudanese heritage Thomas Deng.
Deng was Awer’s best mate growing up at Andrews Farm.
Deng honed his schools at Adelaide Blue Eagles who allowed the now 21-year-old Melbourne Victory defender to play for free.
Deng’s family moved to Melbourne when he was a teenager.